Date published: 2024-07-11 | Category: Giving people a bigger say, Parking and Travel
A range of parking charge proposals, including the introduction of emission-based parking charges to all council-owned car parks where the scheme currently doesn’t operate and on-street pay and display locations in Bath, are being consulted on.
A review of parking charges across Bath & North East Somerset was agreed earlier this year as part of the council’s budget.
Now people are being asked to comment on the wider roll-out of the proposals which aim to improve air quality through a major shift to sustainable transport, walking and cycling and incentives to reduce the use of more polluting vehicles.
Under the proposed changes all parking charges would see a modest increase over the next two years, as well as the introduction of parking charges for motorbikes.
Emission-based parking charges were introduced in the council’s Bath car parks last year and the council is proposing a wider roll out of the scheme at all its other car parks and on-street pay and display locations in Bath.
Residents are being asked to have their say in the consultation, which closes at 5pm 8 August. To take part in the consultation please go to the council’s website. The council will consider the feedback to this proposal before making the final decision about whether to implement it as council policy.
Councillor Manda Rigby, cabinet member for Transport said: “Our review of parking charges across Bath and North East Somerset was agreed in February as part of setting the council’s budget for the coming financial year. We are now asking for people’s comments on the wider roll out of proposed emission-based charges across Bath and North East Somerset
“Our aim is to improve air quality, reduce congestion and encourage other ways to travel across Bath & North East Somerset and these proposals would be another step in the right direction to achieve this.
“We know the effect pollutants from vehicle emissions have, and this is one of a number on policies we’ve implemented to improve air quality and encourage more people to use sustainable transport, like Bath’s Clean Air Zone and our Liveable Neighbourhoods.”
A full breakdown of the proposed charges can be seen on the council’s consultation webpage.